FAQs

Students are able to use an online tool to help determine the appropriate math placement. Course placement is different from course credit.

Students wanting to enroll in a chemistry course during their first year are required to take the chemistry placement test, unless they received credit based on the AP exam, International Baccalaureate HL exam, or British A levels. The Placement Exam will assist the Chemistry department in determining whether placement in Chemistry 103 or Chemistry 104 is more appropriate. Students who enter with advanced placement should register for Chem 107.

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Placement Exam can be taken over the summer prior to arrival on campus or during First-Year Orientation prior to registration. The exam is an online written test. You may use a calculator. It takes approximately 60-90 minutes to complete.

Not necessarily, but you do need the following courses in order to qualify for admission to medical, dental, and veterinary school:

Biology (one year+)

Chemistry (two years, including biochemistry)

Physics (one year)

Math (statistics and/or calculus)

Behavioral Science

There are several options for how students navigate this dilemma. Some students elect to take summer courses which they transfer into Middlebury, while others complete outstanding pre-requisites after graduation. An occasional student will elect to pursue a Domestic Off-Campus Study semester at another U.S. undergraduate institution in order to complete pre-requisites not offered at Middlebury College. To learn more and discuss your specific situation, please e-mail a health professions advisor to arrange a meeting.

Absolutely. Many of the students we work with balance both their academic and athletic pursuits. That is one of the benefits of a liberal arts experience.

Yes! You just need to plan your course sequences thoughtfully, particularly the chemistry sequence. Consider studying abroad for one semester or a summer rather than the whole year. Or plan to matriculate to medical school a year after graduating from Middlebury and complete additional coursework through a continuing education or post-baccalaureate program.

M.D./Ph.D. programs are specifically designed for those who want to become research physicians. Graduates often go on to become faculty members at medical schools and research institutes. M.D./Ph.D. candidates will spend most of their time doing research in addition to caring for patients.

How long does it take? Students enter an integrated curriculum that typically takes 7-8 years to complete.

When and where do I apply? Nearly all M.D./Ph.D. programs participate in the application process via AMCAS. You simply designate yourself as M.D./Ph.D. on the application. You will also be asked to complete two additional essays: one related to why you are interested in M.D./Ph.D. training, and the other highlighting your research experiences. Nationwide, there are more than 100 programs affiliated with medical schools.

*Excerpted from the AAMC Quick Answers to Common Questions About Getting Into Medical School.

You can! We support alums as well as current students in their pursuit of careers and graduate programs in the health professions field.

Middlebury College supports pre-dental/pre-vet students and alumni through every stage of their progression to dental or veterinary school.

During the exploratory years, students work with our office to understand what makes for a competitive dental or veterinary school applicant. Attention is focused on taking the pre-requisite coursework, and developing a plan and timeline for taking the DAT/GRE. Many students will participate in a summer academic enrichment program, join the Pre-Dental or Pre-Vet subgroup of the Pre-Health Society, and attend informational sessions and school visits to learn about the field.

The developing years are a period of active experiential learning, where students obtain either paid or unpaid work in the field and shadow a practitioner. Applicants may dedicate time to a research project, engage in volunteer opportunities, and work with our team to articulate their strengths, identify areas for continued growth, and establish their timeline for applying to dental or veterinary school.



The final stage in the progression to dental school is the application period. A candidate who is ready to apply will have successfully completed the pre-requisite coursework, attained a competitive DAT/GRE score, and gained exposure to the practice of dentistry/veterinary medicine. Ready candidates are able to craft compelling personal statements explaining their motivation for choosing the field, and write thoughtful reflections on their experiences. Middlebury College supports candidates during this stage by reviewing personal statements, providing interview prep, and help identifying people to write letters of recommendation. Middlebury does not offer committee or composite letters for applicants; a candidate’s letters of evaluation are submitted directly to the AADSAS/VMCAS centralized application portal where the letter writer can attest to skills and attributes they have personally observed.

We have been reading more and more that some admissions committees and employers really look at applicant’s pages and posts, so we are now telling students to assume that all admissions committees look up applicants online. Barbara Fuller, M.P.H., former director of admissions at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University says, “Students on the admissions committee are more tech savvy and actually have been responsible for presenting information on candidates-acquired through internet searches-that changed an acceptance to a rejection. As an applicant, you are responsible for the ‘public face’ that the connected world sees.”

How do you find out what’s out there about you? Do web searches from various browsers and see what comes up. In addition to your social media accounts, you may find links to news articles, petitions you have signed electronically, and comments you have left on websites.

What might negatively influence the committee? Anything illegal, showing poor judgement, or might be controversial can hurt your image.

How to protect yourself: Make all social networking accounts private. Approve all tags or check-ins and delete anything you are not proud of, or that might be misconstrued. It is best to err on the “less is more” idea.

Social media best practices:

• Make all accounts private
• Keep pictures, statuses, and comments clean
• Approve tags and check-ins from friends
• Always sign out of a public or shared computer
• Never share your password

*Excerpted from the AAMC Quick Answers to Common Questions About Getting Into Medical School

International students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents often find admission to American medical schools extremely difficult. Many institutions, especially medical schools at state-run universities, do not consider applications from international students. Private institutions may consider international students for admission, but are extremely competitive and often require applicants to place a significant portion of their four year tuition in escrow prior to medical school enrollment, an amount that may exceed $250,000. Because international students are not eligible for the government or non-government loans that most U.S. citizens and permanent residents use to finance their medical education, affording a medical education in the U.S. is a formidable barrier.

While Middlebury welcomes international students to campus regardless of their post-college goals, it is important for international students considering attendance at Middlebury or other American colleges and universities to think carefully about the barriers to attending an American medical school after graduation. Prospective students interested in this career path should speak with a health professions advisor early on to better understand the challenges they might encounter. You can contact Mary Lothrop at 802.443.5077 or mlothrop@middlebury.edu with any questions regarding the medical school admissions process.

We also recommend this article on applying to medical school as an International Student.

Whether you are accepted into a U.S. medical school as an international applicant, become a physician in your home country, or become a U.S. citizen and eventually attend medical school in the states, we are here to support you in any way that we can.

Policies regarding how medical schools handle applications from undocumented and DACA students vary widely from school to school and are subject to change depending on federal immigration guidelines. We acknowledge the fear and uncertainty around this process, and want you to know that Health Professions is here to support undocumented and DACA students and alumni in any way we can.

Middlebury’s International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) has compiled some general DACA Resources, and Middlebury’s Chief Diversity Officer serves as the College’s DACA point person for current undocumented and DACA students.

Additional medically-related resources we think might be helpful in considering the path to a career in the health professions as a DACA student:

Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) List of Medical School Policies on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 

Pre Health Dreamers is a national network of students, educators, and allies, dedicated to supporting undocumented pre-health students 

An affiliation agreement is a written contract detailing the legal obligations of both the school and the experiential learning site to facilitate experiential learning for students. Middlebury College does not enter into such agreements, meaning you would not be able to accept an internship that requires an affiliation agreement for participation. 

The short answer is, yes. It is possible to earn Middlebury College credit upon successful completion of an approved Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course or internship, and there are three paths available for doing so.

In the first scenario, a student enrolls in an EMT course at an accredited college or university during the summer or during a period of leave, and upon successful completion of the course, transfers the course credit to Middlebury. Prior to enrolling, students should obtain pre-approval from the appropriate department chair or program director (in this case, Dr. Hannah Benz) and the dean of curriculum (who ensures that the transfer institution, the course credit value, and other course details adhere to Middlebury College’s transfer credit guidelines) by submitting the Transfer Credit Application Form to the Registrar’s Office. Take some time to learn more about Middlebury’s credit transfer policy here.

The second scenario in which a student could earn credit for an EMT experience would be the case of a student who pursues an EMT experience outside of Middlebury during Winter Term. The student would need to have been registered as a full-time student in the fall semester prior to the Winter Term in question. Since Middlebury would consider the EMT experience an internship and not a class, application materials would be processed by the Center for Careers and Internships and the experience would not need to be sponsored by an accredited college or university. You can learn more about the application process for credit-bearing Winter Term internships here.

The best place to start looking for opportunities is in Handshake, the online database for current job and internship postings managed by the Center for Careers and Internships (CCI). We encourage pre-health students to become familiar with Handshake, the Middlebury career advisory network. We also encourage students to check out CCI’s tips for finding or creating an internship, drop by Quick Questions (no appointment necessary). Research organizations at home and abroad, and check on what might be available if you are interested. Remember that not every internship you do as a pre-health student needs to be health-related. You can also gain valuable service, leadership, teaching, and research experience that will be relevant for a future in the health professions. While internships are one great way to gain exposure to medicine, don’t forget about shadowing and volunteering during the summer and/or the academic year.